One thing about jays, they can get LOUD! The western jays we have here do that also. The jays and woodpeckers both make a lot of noisy calls to get other birds to leave the feeders. Some birds ignore the noise, but then when the large bird swoops in toward the feeder, they usually give in for a while! The deer won't leave the food until they are ready, however. Their size trumps the jay and woodpecker pretty much!
